Brought to the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 4, Eric Balderas’ life has resembled that of Texas’ newest senator, Ted Cruz.

Both were born outside the United States and rose from humble origins to attend Harvard.

But Balderas’ visit to the Capitol Tuesday wasn’t intend to cheer on his fellow Harvarder. The San Antonian came to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s immigration hearing to see Cruz fail.

The reason is simple: Cruz’s amendment, which was overwhelmingly rejected by the committee Tuesday, would have barred Balderas and other so-called “Dreamers” from ever becoming American citizens.

Balderas, an advocate of comprehensive immigration reform, said a pathway to citizenship is integral to fixing the nation’s broken immigration system.

“You can’t exclude citizenship in the bill,” Balderas said in an interview.

He said he knows many students who are unauthorized immigrants, who work hard, and yet are ineligible for benefits such as certain scholarships and loans.

Balderas, now 22, was the valedictorian of San Antonio’s Highlands High School in 2009, and studies government at Harvard. Cruz also graduated valedictorian in 1988 and went on to Ivy League schools Princeton and Harvard Law School. Balderas is unsure if he will follow Cruz’s path and go to law school, but he is considering it.

Ted Cruz at Princeton

“I just walked through the law school two days ago,” Balderas said in an interview.

Both men were born outside the country, but because Balderas did not have an American parent, when he was brought to US, he lived as an unauthorized immigrant. In 2010 he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He received deferred action and now lives legally under DREAMer provisions for those on the path to graduation.

Cruz was born in Canada and was born a U.S. citizen because his mother was an American.

Balderas said he could not believe Cruz’s opposition to citizenship considering his position as a Latino leader and his life story.

“Especially if you put me and him side by side it seems hypocritical,” Balderas said.